Looking Backward
25 years ago
Only 60% of students who enter 9th-grade at Ava High School receive a diploma four years later. This year Ava has 164 students listed as freshmen and 100 seniors.
Two local ropers – both high school students – won big money at the “Show Me” State Championships held Aug. 11-14 at Nixa and qualified for the National Finals of Team Roping to be held Oct. 24-30 at Guthrie, Okla. Kirby Fossett, a junior at Norwood High School, and Derek McGill, a freshman at Ava, shocked the veteran ropers by claiming top money and earning the right to advance to the national finals. Fossett took home total earnings of $23210 and McGill earned $1160.
Thornfield R-I School in Ozark County has received an unaccredited rating from the Missouri State Board of Education under the new Missouri School Improvement standards. The school will retain its AA classification under the old standards until June 1996.
Inez Clinkingbeard celebrated her 92nd birthday Oct. 15 with friends who gave her a party at the Highway House Cafe.
Joe and Virginia Crank of Ava will be celebrating their 45th wedding anniversary on Oct. 24.
MOUND –– We welcome Mr. and Mrs. David Halcomb to our community as they have moved to their new home on T Highway just across the road from his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Junior Halcomb.
Ava High School District Honor Choir members are Heather Aborn, Shelly Brummett, Timmery Clark, and Lacey Evans. Honor choir members are Travis Powell, Jimmy Voliva, Rosemary Dickinson, Allen Stillings, Jennifer Corum and Aaron Corum.
Harold and Kay Hutchison were hosts for an afternoon gathering Saturday, Oct. 15, in honor of their grandson, Dylan’s, first birthday.
The Bradleyville sixth grade recently received the gift of a computer. The computer was given to them by Loren and Mary Sowers, friends of sixth grade teacher, Roger Wrisberg.
LITTLE CREEK –– These cold frosty mornings make us know that Old Man Winter is waiting in the wings.
50 years ago
Eddie Bray of Chadwick checked the second deer killed during the archery season here Tuesday, it was report by Agent Bob Cook. The spike buck was killed in Christian County with a 25-foot shot from a tree, Mr. Cook said.
Three children must be taken away from their mother and the South Range Ranch of the Zion’s Order near Ava, a Jackson County Circuit Court judge ordered last Thursday.
The Bank of Gainesville has completed the move into a newly constructed building it is reported by the Ozark County Times. A week-long open house and 75th anniversary is planned for the week of Oct. 21-24, is is announced by John Harlin, executive vice president.
Three Willow Springs men have been charged in Howell County for illegally spotlighting deer.
The day of the open range is nearly gone in Missouri with respect to every herd but one. The whiteface is behind wire, but the whitetail still roams free. This creates a continuing headache for deer managers of the Missouri Department of Conservation. The problem is how to manage a herd which can’t be rounded-up, counted and sold, which only can be estimated by methods not infallible, a herd which never is seen in its entirety, a herd which cannot be directly controlled.
One accident that’s not likely to happen to a hippie –– falling in a bathtub.
Mr. and Mrs. Burnam Cummins entertained his sisters as guests in their home last week.
The annual Oldtimers Singing will be held at the Cold Spring School house, located 30 miles east os Ava on Highway 76, on Sunday, Oct. 19. Bill Spurrier will be master of ceremonies.
Marjorie Robertson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Robertson of Ava, a member of the Southwest Missouri State College Concert Chorals, will be honored at a Recognition Banquet to be held Monday night. Miss Robertson, an SMS senior majoring in music- voice, will be among 20 chorale members honored for their participating in a summer tour of 14 European countries. Miss Robertson is a 1966 graduate of Ava High School, where she was active in music, FHA and pep club.
Members of the Society of Friends came to be called Quakers from a speech by the founder, George Fox in which he called upon his listeners to “tremble at the name of the Lord.” A Magistrate Justice, Gervase Bennett, thereupon called their group the “Quakers.”
Farm for Sale to settle estate of Harry McNutt, good house, 227 acres, on Highway 5, 5 miles south of Ava. Cash, $40,000 or will consider offers in writing. Mildred Holman, Administratrix, Springfield, Mo. or Rolland Comstock, Attorney, Springfield, Mo.
75 years ago
Private Claude E. Hicks, son of Mr. and Mrs. Isom Hicks of Bertha, was seriously injured in action on September 25, according to a telegram from the War Department this week to his wife, Mrs. Janie L. Hicks of south of Norwood.
Ten men from Douglas County have been called for induction into military service October 26. They are Norman Winston Wright, Ava; Lloyd Earl Lyon, San Diego, California; Hewell Ishmet Long, Norwood; Howard Earl Sellers, Ava; Doyne Lester Emery, Buckhart; Roy James Sartin, Bradleyville; Garnet A. Kelly, Macomb; John Tipton Grose, Macomb; Alvin Orville DeVault, Ava; and Muril McKnight, Roy.
The 1944-45 pep squad of Ava High School was organized Tuesday when officers and leaders were elected. Miss Louis Parker is president of the group, Pat Dean, secretary and Reba Crumley, secretary-treasurer. Leaders will be Lois Parker, Reba Crumley and Annavee Thomas.
Wm. Hale, Ava hardware merchant, underwent an operation Wednesday for appendicitis at Springfield Baptist Hospital. His condition was reported very satisfactory early today.
Attorneys John Bragg and Willis H. Mitchell, and Circuit Clerk Fred Curnutt went to Ozark Beach Monday afternoon where they attended a banquet given by the Thirty-first Judicial Bar Association.
Mr. and Mrs. Sam Banta announce the birth of a son at the family home, Monday, Oct. 16. The baby has been named Billy Joe.
Miss Ora Jenkins, daughter of Audie Jenkins, became the bride of Arlie McKinley Stamper, son of Mountain Home, Arkansas, October 18.
Mrs. David E. Joslyn and children spent the weekend in Lebanon with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Draper and other relatives. Accompanying the Joslyns was Mrs. Joe Pitts, who spent the weekend in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Clubb.
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Royce and Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Curry of the Herald were at Ozark Beach near Forsyth Friday and Saturday attending the fall meeting of the Ozark Press Association.
Education without religion will make America a pagan nation in a generation or two. Even worldly-minded educators are concerned about the neglect of and opposition to Christianity in many branches of our country’s educational system.
Mrs. E.C. Maloney was displaying a radish here Saturday that she believed establishes something of a record for size. It weighed 19 ounces and was 10 1/2 inches around. She left it on display in the Herald’s show window.
EAST VANZANT –– Visiting in the Clyde Penner home Sunday were Mr. and Mrs. Bill Cheney and Mrs. Euel Penner and Sonny Roy.
WASOLA –– Hattie Warden and new baby, Norman Lee, were brought home Saturday in the Clinkingbeard ambulance from a Springfield hospital.
100 Years Ago
Two very prominent young couples of Ava motored to Hartville Sunday afternoon, September 28th, were married and went on their way rejoicing for two weeks before their friends learned of the wedding. The parties most concerned were Lynn Stewart and Miss Gladys Berger, Cecil Reynolds and Miss Ruth Davis, all of Ava. Rev. Gideon performed the double ceremony in the M. E. Church at Hartville, making these young people husbands and wives, Sept. 28. about 9:30 p.m.
On Tuesday morning of this week while the freight train on the Ozark Southern Railway was enroute from Mansfield to Ava, one car filled with miscellaneous merchandise became uncoupled from the train some distance north of Alwanda Station. No one was on the uncoupled car, and it traveled down grade gaining speed until it reached the bridge over Bryant Creek where it jumped the track tearing up about 96-ft. of track as it went. Train service was entirely cut off until Wednesday night when the track had been sufficiently repaired to allow the passage of trains.
With the prices of women’s gowns prowling around in the skies, the old fashioned sewing circle should again become an aristocratic feature of feminine life.
The county treasurer has received a check from the state treasurer for state road money for the past eight months. The amount allotted to the various roads in Douglas County is as follows: Christian Co. Highway, $212.52; Webster Co. Highway, $150; Wright Co. Highway, $120; Texas Co. Highway, $474.80; Howell Co. Highway, $474.80; Ozark Co. Highway, $165.76; for a total of $1,736..88.
The young man who is content to remain stationary will never be a success in life. If he fails to press forward he will soon find himself to the rear, and the devil takes care of the hindmost.
H.S. Wilson drove a new Ford car, with starter, over to Olathe Tuesday and delivered it to Mr. S.H. Freeman. This is the first Ford, with factory starter built in, to be delivered by the local agency.
BASHER –– Rockhouse School has purchased a new graphanola and 23 records for the school.
The wise man permits others to judge as to his worth. The fool appraises his own.
Geo. Yandell, farmer living north from the city, has bought the J.F. Holestine residence property in Ava. Mr. Holestine contemplates building a new and modern residence on Jefferson Street.
COLDSPRING –– The wedding bells have tolled once more in our community. Marvin Medlock and Hallie Smith were happily united in marriage last Friday.
No school at Coldspring at present. The teacher, Floyd Luttrell met with an accident last week when a horse fell with him, resulting in a badly sprained ankle.
Bill Woods has arrived with his car of stock and household goods from Idaho and has rented the Henry Burke farm.
125 Years ago
WAGONER, Indian Ter., Oct. 22 –– The Kansas City and Missouri Pacific Express was wrecked and robbed by the Cook gang of desperadoes at Correta, a blind siding five miles south of here. The Cook gang held up the Express and passenger – one passenger fatally wounded, and the bandits fired over 200 shots.
SEDALIA –– A bloody tragedy occurred at 11 o’clock last night in which George Dixon, an ex-policeman lost his life at the hands of S.T. Lupe, a wealthy grain dealer. Dixon had suspected the fidelity of his wife, who was employed as a bookkeeper by Lupe at his elevator office. When officers arrived Lupe was found in his night clothes with an ugly wound in his right side, from which the blood was pouring in a stream. The affair has created a great sensation.
Soda will cure Howard County hogs of cholera.
Bullet-proof coats are suggested for Missouri amateur hunters.
The accident on the Rock Island near Trenton bears the name of the “Happy Hollow disaster.”
A colored woman who got a divorce from her husband in Shelby County was allowed $2 a month alimony.
It took a trolley car to kill a St. Louis woman who had successfully dodged all other forms of death for 105 years.
A number of gentlemen in Missouri should take notice there is a “habitual criminal” act. Once caught under that and you go up for 99 years.
There are enormous profits on typewriting machines. It costs about $15 to manufacture, and most machines sell for $100. There is a fortune awaiting a man who will put on the market a good typewriter to be sold at $50.
When water runs up hill, when pumpkins grow on trees, when fishes cease to swim and birds forget to fly, only then will infidel John warm his capricious setter on the velvet of the prosecuting attorney’s office.
Woman was not created merely to follow around and sweep up after man.
To Whom It May Concern –– My wife, Lena Wood, on the 15th day of October 1894, left my bed and board without just reasons therefore and this is to notify all persons that I will not be responsible for any debts she may contract after the day and date above mentioned. C. W. Wood, Goodhope, Mo.
James Lytle is having his residence remodeled and enlarged.
The measles are almost a thing of the past. Soon we shall know them no more.
A.J. Summers, democratic candidate for representative, returned from a visit to his old Virginia home last week and is now actively in the campaign.
Miss Mary Miller of near Farber has brought suit against John Criswell of Farber through her attorney, John D. O’Rear of Mexico, Mo. for $10,000 damages, accusing him of breach of promise and seduction under a promise of marriage. Miss Miller is a young German girl, 17 years of age, and the daughter of well-to-do Audrain County parents. Mr. Criswell is a prominent farmer and stockraiser of near Farber, and is 42 years of age.
